The Misinterpellated Subject
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Another Abraham In his parable “Abraham,” Franz Kafka oﬀers us a narrative wherein the call that motivated Abraham to attempt to sacrifice his son Isaac was not perceived by the famous Abraham alone but had many other, unintended interlocutors— all of whom also happened to be named Abraham—as well.1 Kafka tells us that besides the “real Abraham”— that is, the one that we all know about, someone who “already had every thing, and yet was to be raised still higher”— there is “another Abraham [“einen anderen Abraham”]” or possibly even several other Abrahams.2 One such other Abraham, Kafka tells us, “was prepared to satisfy the demand for a sacrifice immediately, with the promptness of a waiter, but was unable to bring it oﬀ because he could not get away, being indispensable; the household needed him, there was perpetually something or other to put in order.”3 For yet other Abra- hams, “it is pos si ble that they did not even have a son, yet already had to sacrifice him.”4 Whether the call to Abraham was ever intended for these other Abrahams or not, they do not ultimately respond; Kafka writes of introduction Unsummoned! When the Call Is Not Meant for You